Topics

Related Stories

Ryerson University urban planning student Kaveen Fernando finished his seventh year interning at the City of Cornwall this past week.

A few days before he left to resume his studies, the planning department released the latest version of the city’s data book, which Fernando spent the past summer putting together using numbers from sources such as Statistics Canada and various city departments.

“It was a bit more challenging year because the 2016 census (has not been completely released yet.) But we extracted things like residential data from building department permits,” explained Fernando. “From those permits were also able to get commercial and industrial data, and I broke the residential data down into types of dwellings.”

According to the new data book, there were 28 single dwelling units built in 2016, 58 double units, and 25 multiple dwelling units. All together, the new housing is worth $13.2 million.

The population of Cornwall has grown by 250 people or 0.5 per cent in the five years between 2011 and 2016. The population has been slowly growing by less than a per cent every four or five years since the population took a major hit between 1996 and 2001.

Rents in Cornwall rise very slowly, according to the book, often lifted only by inflation. This makes most apartments in Cornwall significantly cheaper than other cities. A two-bedroom last year cost a market average of $771 per month, although the same place would cost $1,119 in Kingston.

Homeowners may not pay rent, but they do pay property taxes, and according to the data book, the average residential tax bill was $2,657, which has increased by just under $200 since 2012.

Cornwall’s largest industry in terms of the number of jobs it provides to residents is the sales and service industry, which employs 30 per cent of the city’s working population; this is followed by the trades and transport industry at 16 per cent and health care with 14 per cent.

The median family income in Cornwall is $56,200. For couples with children, it’s $77,400.

Fernando also included a section where he highlighted community improvement programs, particularly those spearheaded by the Heart of the City and its two business improvement areas.

“We’ve seen a lot of small businesses, offices and old building become revitalized or receive improvements,” he said.

These projects include the new Stomping Grounds Cafe at the Cotton Mills, the new public tables on the corner of Marlborough and Montreal in Le Village.

The planning department’s division manager, Mary Joyce-Smith, said the data book is an important resource for a lot of people and organizations in Cornwall.

“It’s a book that’s picked up by developers, people who move to Cornwall … and I think it’s a good project for students to work on to get a handle on what the planning department does,” she said.